Who Would Like This Book:
If you love Agatha Christie-style mysteries - or just a good whodunnit - you’ll have a blast with Magpie Murders. Anthony Horowitz has created a puzzle-lover’s dream, with a clever 'mystery within a mystery' structure that offers double the suspects, clues, and gasp-worthy reveals. The book is packed with homage and sly nods to classic crime fiction, smartly weaving two timelines: a vintage English village murder in the style of golden age mysteries, and a twisty modern-day thriller set in the book world. Seasoned mystery fans will enjoy catching all the genre references, but even newer readers will find themselves caught up in the fast-paced puzzles and masterful plotting.
Who May Not Like This Book:
This one isn’t for everyone - some readers found the book-within-a-book setup a bit too gimmicky or self-conscious. If you’re not a fan of classic 'cozy' mysteries or you prefer more realistic, gritty crime novels, you might find the characters a little too caricatured or the story lacking emotional depth. The length and extended dual-narrative style can slow things down, especially if you connect with one storyline more than the other. And if too much meta-winking or literary name-dropping grates on you, you might find the cleverness a bit over the top.
About:
'Magpie Murders' by Anthony Horowitz is a cleverly crafted mystery novel that presents a story within a story. It follows Susan Ryeland, an editor, as she delves into the mysteries surrounding a manuscript by a popular author, Alan Conway, which goes missing after his suspicious death. The narrative seamlessly weaves between the traditional British whodunit style of Conway's manuscript and the real-life mystery Susan finds herself entangled in, creating a metafictional delight for mystery fans. expertly pays homage to classic detective novels while offering a fresh and inventive take on the genre.
The writing style of 'Magpie Murders' is described as intelligent, classic, and reminiscent of Agatha Christie's works, with intricate plots, well-developed characters, and clever narrative devices. The book's structure, with two interconnected mysteries and a metafictional approach, keeps readers engaged and guessing until the satisfying conclusion. Horowitz's ability to blend different writing styles, explore themes of crime fiction, and deliver unexpected twists and turns throughout the narrative showcases his talent as a mystery writer.
Genres:
Tropes/Plot Devices:
Topics:
Notes:
From The Publisher:
Anthony Award for Best Novel Nominee
Barry Award for Best Novel Nominee
Macavity Award for Best Novel
LibraryReads #1 Pick
"Magpie Murders is a double puzzle for puzzle fans, who don't often get the classicism they want from contemporary thrillers." -Janet Maslin, The New York Times
New York Times bestseller | Nominee for the Anthony Award for Best Novel | Nominee for the Barry Award for Best Novel | Winner of the Macavity Award for Best Novel | #1 Indie Next Pick | NPR best book of 2017 | Amazon best book of 2017 | Washington Post best book of 2017 | Esquire best book of 2017
From the New York Times bestselling author of Moriarty and Trigger Mortis, this fiendishly brilliant, riveting thriller weaves a classic whodunit worthy of Agatha Christie into a chilling, ingeniously original modern-day mystery.
When editor Susan Ryeland is given the manuscript of Alan Conway's latest novel, she has no reason to think it will be much different from any of his others. After working with the bestselling crime writer for years, she's intimately familiar with his detective, Atticus Pünd, who solves mysteries disturbing sleepy English villages. An homage to queens of classic British crime such as Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, Alan's traditional formula has proved hugely successful. So successful that Susan must continue to put up with his troubling behavior if she wants to keep her job.
Conway's latest tale has Atticus Pünd investigating a murder at Pye Hall, a local manor house. Yes, there are dead bodies and a host of intriguing suspects, but the more Susan reads, the more she's convinced that there is another story hidden in the pages of the manuscript: one of real-life jealousy, greed, ruthless ambition, and murder.
Masterful, clever, and relentlessly suspenseful, Magpie Murders is a deviously dark take on vintage English crime fiction in which the reader becomes the detective.
Ratings (162)
Incredible (19) | |
Loved It (70) | |
Liked It (38) | |
It Was OK (19) | |
Did Not Like (14) | |
Hated It (2) |
Reader Stats (312):
Read It (160) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (121) | |
Did Not Finish (8) | |
Not Interested (22) |
9 comment(s)
3.5 stars. This one was interesting, a mystery inside of another mystery. How fun. An editor reads the latest manuscript of a book but the more she reads the more it reveals and it seems to be a real life mystery inside of it. I didn't have any issues with it but I didn't get as invested in it as some other mystery I've read. But it was enjoyable enough and I would read more by this author
Good whodunnit! I have a few feminist qualms but i forget them now so I suppose they don’t matter that much!
4.5 stars.
****4.0****
Let me start by Telling that this is a CLEVER book. Very clever!!
There's a mystery inside a mystery and the both mysteries are connected through the writer Alan Conway and his characters.
When Alan Conway's book "Magpie Murders", the last of his Atticus Pünd series comes for a manuscript reading to his publisher Susan Ryeland, little did she know that Alan conway is going to be dead soon.
“The most obvious conclusions are the ones I try to avoid”
In Magpie Murders, the whole setting is a kind of Agatha Christie setting, a calm english village, suddenly in limelight because of murders and everyone is a suspect. Sir Magnus Pye's HouseKeeper, Mary Elizabeth Blakiston is found dead at the stairs of Pye hall, which looks like an accident. And within 2 weeks Sir Magnus Pye himself is found dead,beheaded with a sword that was displayed with a full suit of armour in Pye Hall. Are the murders connected? The gossip on who did it is going on in the village. Atticus Pünd comes into picture and solves the case.
“Rumours and malicious gossip are like bindweed. They cannot be cut back, even with the sword of truth. I can, however, offer you this comfort. Given time, they will wither and die of their own volition.”
But when she comes to know he is dead (suicide because of his illness) and the final chapters of his newest book are missing, Susan's detective instincts kick-in. She finds out that the character's of Conway's last book are actually taken from his own life and he has brutally described them. Susan is somehow convinced that Alan Conway is murdered. And somehow the missing last chapters of his book will explain the murders, that is Murders that takes place in Magpie Murders and Alan Conway's also.
“Fiction merely allows us a glimpse of the alternative.”
Narrated is a very gripping way and both the mysteries keep you at the edge. Very clever plot and a page turner.
Happy Reading!!
Better main characters
this is easily in my top ten favorite mystery novels, for several reasons. I actually listened to it and the narration by Stephanie Bond was excellent, I enjoy books within books , I love golden age mysteries ( usually set between WW1 and WW2), I love books about the writing or publishing industry, I just like the 'Agatha Christie' vibe that this book gave off .
Loved the device of having a murder mystery within a murder mystery, and found both parts of the book compelling and satisfying
Started off great, but half way through it dragged on. Interesting idea of trying to draw a parallel between ‘the book’ and ‘real life’ characters.
The Conway part of the book could not pull me in. Just wanted to get to the Atticus Pund ending after a point.
Tribute to Agatha Christie
Classic detective style
Dual mysteries
Brilliant storytelling
Engaging characters
Witty humor
Metafictional elements
Reflective of Christie's style
Originality in homage
Intriguing plot twists
Character parallels
Clever motives
Enjoyable surprises
Anticipation for future works
What can you read after
Magpie Murders?
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
